Letti returned to my bedside with a black dress in her arms. Fortunately, there were quite a few dresses, skirts, tops and pants in the court’s repertoire that fit my curves. I tried not to think of all the deceased women who previously wore them.
Today’s gown was simple and form fitting with a high neckline to conceal thecommunicanecklace that I donned every day. Hiding it doused suspicion from Maryn, the tutors, and skeptical servants.
“He lets me trim his hair,” Letti said. “Others have been here longer than us. Gregorios for nearly thirty years. Gertah the physician and Nio our cook, almost the same. Regardless of our tenure, we are simply bonded by our duty to serve. Friendship is inconsequential at the palace.”
“No, but it is nice. Less lonely, I imagine.”
“Reclusion is in our blood,” she said, likely speaking to inherent Scorpion tendencies. “As a Chosen, though, I suggest you get used to it.”
Did I enjoy solitude?In nature, yes. When dancing, absolutely. I always considered myself social. The reality was my friends were an extension of Basil’s. Where he went, so did I.
As we went through our regular motions tending to my skin, I couldn’t help but ponder Raithe taking Hector’s passing hard. He seemed too fearless to let death affect him. “How did he die?” I wondered. “Hector.”
“So many questions this—” She stopped abruptly. “What the fuck?”
“Letti?” I questioned as she sniffed the air, then moved closer to the doors. A second later, I smelled it too. Fire, far more potent than the one across from my bed. Smoke seeped from the cracks into the room.
“Stay inside,” Letti instructed over her shoulder.
I slid from the bed and followed her.
“Right, because when do you ever do what you’re told?” She pulled open the door, then bellowed, “What do you think you are doing?”
In the antechamber that sat between my room and the hallway, the small bookshelf was on fire. The only guard in sight was Chessah, her head freshly shaven and a sneer curling her lips.
“What is the meaning of this?” I demanded.
“No need to fret, Princess.” Chessah bowed. “The stone wall and floors can’t catch fire.”
I gaped at her. “Put this out!”
“It’ll burn itself out soon enough.”
“Letti, get water from the bathing chamber.” I glared at Chessah. “You’re insane.”
“I don’t trust you alone with her.” Letti stood her ground in front of me, whipping out a blade sheathed beneath her skirts. Her swift defensive stance was oddly impressive. She raised her blade, poised to strike.
Chessah only laughed. “I wouldn’tdaretouch a hair on her head. Even if I did, a cripple wouldn’t be able to do a damned thing to stop it.”
I stepped around Letti. “Howdareyou call her?—”
“I don’t need defending.” Letti positioned herself in front of me. A dark ferociousness lurked beneath her meek frailty. Someone had taught her how to fight.
I coughed as embers sparked and snapped from the books now set ablaze.
“Consider this a message.” Chessah smirked. “From Her Highness, the queen regent. Enjoy the day.”
She disappeared down the stairs as the fire roared in her wake.
I stared in horror. “What kind of sick message is this?”
“When a Chosen dies, their personal property is destroyed since they have no living relatives,” Letti said. “These books were overlooked during that process.”
“I don’t understand…”
“Those were Hector’s books.” She shook her head. “This past year, Raithe would sit in that chair and read them, as Hector would, even though there was no queen to protect. I’d catch him off guard, which is hard to do, and I pieced it together. Apparently, so did Maryn. I didn’t think she knew about them—let alone cared—considering they remained. I wonder if she was waiting for a moment like this.”
“But why?”
